


Not A Date

by Yatorihell



Series: In The Darkness [44]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, ノラガミ | Noragami
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-04-29 20:30:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14480616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yatorihell/pseuds/Yatorihell
Summary: During a day out, the group is split into couples. Is romance on the cards?Thank you Gio (the_musical_alchemist) for beta-ing me <3Accompanying art by Jo (http://eerna.tumblr.com/post/152428161727/a-harry-potter-au-commission-i-did-for)





	Not A Date

With the drama of the latest task fading, school gave way to the Easter break.

Daffodils had sprung up in the most unexpected places; for example, Madame Kofuku’s classroom. Peonies grew on the oak desks, whilst daisies popped up through the cracks in the floor and tulips peeped out from various cauldrons which had yet to be washed. No one could tell if the sudden gardening was a mishap or if she had simply decided to brighten up her classroom.

Staying behind for Easter to study, Kazuma had urged Yato to do the same even if he was temporarily excused from exams.

 _‘This is the perfect opportunity to get a head start’,_ he’d reasoned. Yato grumbled, but with Hiyori and Yukine already planning to spend most of their time in the library he was left with no choice but to slink along with them.

Now the three of them, including Bishamon and Kazuma, sat around one of the long tables in the centre of the library. Sunlight flooded the desk which had been strewn with books, from Herbology to Muggle Studies to Transfiguration.

Kazuma muttered softly to Bishamon, citing texts that she transcribed in elegant handwriting while the trio sifted through half of the library which was stacked in front of them.

Yato had propped his chin in his hand, restlessly staring at a page of _‘Muggle Inventions: Primitive or Innovative?’_ with a frown. He tapped his quill on the table, much to Yukine’s annoyance as dots of ink splattered his own parchment.

Hiyori smiled as she watched his mouth silently follow the words. She couldn’t help but steal glances at him whenever she dipped her quill in the ink pot. Maybe because she was not yet accustomed to seeing Yato study – or maybe it was the fact that he wore his hair up to keep it falling in front of his eyes as he read.

Either way, Hiyori seemed to have a fixation with the curve of his jaw and the blueness of his eyes that flickered between page and parchment. She was just thankful that no one noticed her gaze.

“Can we have a break? I’m sick of this already.”

Yato let out a huff. He pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes sore from the miracle of him reading more than a page. Dragging his hand over his eyes before letting it rest against his cheek once more, Yato look at Hiyori with a pleading expression.

“We need to study,” Yukine scolded. He stretched his arms over his head, frowning at the book in front of him despite his determination to learn about the lifecycle of the Devil’s Snare.

“Or,” Yato wheedled, “we could go somewhere.”

Hiyori caught sight of Bishamon rolling her eyes at Yato’s whining, but she bit back any comment she had to make about it when Kazuma stole her attention once more.

She put down her quill, hands dropping into her lap as she leant back in her chair with a calculating look. “It wouldn’t hurt…”

Yukine huffed. He at least expected Hiyori to back him up, but it seemed that she was just as desperate to stop as Yato.

“We could go to Hogsmeade using the in--” he started.

Yato kicked Yukine sharply under the desk, face taunt as he jutted his chin towards Kazuma and Bishamon who didn’t notice their sudden secrecy. No one was meant to know about the invisibility cloak.

Yukine shut his mouth, allowing Hiyori cut in.

“Be there for lunchtime?”

Yato nodded, slamming his book shut. “Meet you there.”

 

~

 

Yato and Yukine snuck into Hogsmeade, this time through the front gates as there were no unwelcome Dementors to catch them this year.

Sunlight filtered through the budding trees as they made their way through the small village. Flowers cascaded from hanging baskets outside every door, decorating the street with deep and vibrant hues of greens, whites and yellows. Wild bluebells had peeked out from the hedgerows under windows whilst mayflowers burst from their planters, rustling in the slight breeze.

Yukine pointed out Hiyori who stood under the awning of the rustic bookshop, Gryffindor scarf peeking out under her jacket as she studied the books in the window.

Yato’s mouth spread into a sly grin, grabbing Yukine’s wrist to stop him from removing the cloak. “Stay quiet.”

Yukine looked at him in confusion but cottoned on quickly as they took light steps until they were right behind Hiyori. He reached out first, giving a short tug on the nape of her scarf.

Hiyori spun around in surprise, looking for the culprit but only seeing the near-empty street.

Yato stifled a laugh, watching Hiyori’s eyes graze over the invisibility cloak. His hand darted out to tease the end of her hair, flicking it up to tickle her nose and making Hiyori recoil with a laugh once she realised what was happening.  

“Yato!”

They appeared grinning from the cloak, avoiding Hiyori’s playful swatting. Yato stashed his cloak in his bag.

They took a leisurely pace through the village, gazing around at the shop windows.

“What do you want to do?” Hiyori asked.

“I wanted to get Suzuha a good luck charm for the final task,” Yukine mused. He didn’t notice Hiyori’s questioning look.

“Isn’t that cheating?” she asked.

“It’s not really magic.” Yukine shrugged. “And it depends if you believe in luck.”

“What about me?” Yato pouted.

“I think you’re lucky enough considering you’ve survived this long,” Yukine said, though he added an idle comment whilst side-eyeing Hiyori. “Maybe someone else can get you one.”

Whether or not Hiyori caught what he meant, Yukine didn’t know, but the conversation died when Yato guided them down a small side street that would have gone unnoticed if they didn’t know where to look.

A jaunted porchway of what looked like a gift shop seemed to be crushed between its neighbouring shops, leaving a small space for only the light oak door and dirty window to be visible to the street.

Inside was a mess of pottery, dreamcatchers, and whirring sounds that none of them could see the sources of. Paper parasols covered the high ceiling which had covered with orbs of lights, making the air above them seem more like a festival than a shop. Hand fans had been tacked to the walls, though they were barely visible from the number of items that poured onto the shop floor and into wicker baskets.

Hiyori thought the shop was akin to someone dropping their entire antique collection over ever surface. She wondered for a moment if the shopkeeper had been buried alive before she heard a clatter from the back room.

Yukine muttered something under his breath as they picked their way through the heaps of Russian dolls that seemed watch them move through the shop.

Yato had wandered to a bookshelf that reached the ceiling, thumbing through knickknacks and delicate trinkets and not seeming bothered by the porcelain dolls who clinked their way over to him with silent interest.

Hiyori looked around. There was nothing she wanted to buy, but when her eyes fell on Yukine examining a precarious stack of bracelets – and recalling his comment – she couldn’t help but get an idea.

Discretely she slipped away, returning a few minutes later with her pocket a little heavier.

Hiyori peered over Yukine’s shoulder as he examined a green woven bracelet between his fingers. A flower charm, a white lily, hung from it and shone with a pearlescent hue.

“It’s pretty,” Hiyori remarked.

Yukine hummed in agreement. A smile played on his lips as he crossed to the counter where a witch had burst out from the back room with several loud crashes behind her. She seemed unfazed, greeting Yukine with a smile despite the carnage behind her.

He returned a moment later with the bracelet wrapped in brown paper, finding Hiyori and Yato waiting for him near the door.

As they made their way back to the high street they found it had started to grow busy. Old ladies and gents in pointed hats made their way slowly to the tea shops, whereas a few students milled around, seeking a break from the confinement of the castle.

She didn’t know if she imagined it, but Hiyori thought she saw a peek of Bishamon’s flowing hair vanishing into the Three Broomsticks up the road.

Her distraction was short lived as Yato spoke, bringing her attention back.

“Where next?”

“We go to the Three Broom --” Yukine cut himself off with a squeak and stopped short. He shoved the bracelet behind his back, hastily shoving the bracelet down into his back pocket as its recipient was now stood in front of him.

“Hey,” Suzuha said. He politely chose to ignore Yukine’s flustered action, instead smiling at the three of them.

“Y-You’re not meant to be here!” Yukine exclaimed.

Suzuha cocked an eyebrow and Yato held back a snort as Yukine suddenly realised what he was saying. Backtracking, he tried to explain that it was the Easter holidays and that he said he was going home.

Suzuha listened in amusement which mirrored Yato and Hiyori’s as they watched Yukine stutter in front of them. “Well, I came back early.”

That stopped Yukine. He let out an _‘oh’_ before Suzuha went on with a teasing tone and a grin.

“I can go if you want…unless you want to come with me?”

“Ah…” Yukine back looked at Yato and Hiyori, torn, but Yato winked and Hiyori urged him forward with a gentle nod.

He didn’t need telling twice as Suzuha’s hand caught his and tugged him away.

Yato and Hiyori watched them vanish into a shop further up the road and, simultaneously, looked at each other with smiles.

“Well,” Yato said after a pause, “just us then.”

Hiyori – now aware that they were now alone together for the first time since the Yule Ball – flushed.

“We can go back,” Hiyori started but Yato cut her off.

“No, I want to stay.”

Without a second thought after he blurted it out, Yato caught Hiyori’s hand and started walking. The chill seemed to vanish completely as he felt the breeze against his burning cheeks which matched Hiyori’s, not believing that he had just done _that_.

All thoughts of returning to the castle were dismissed as both couples parted in different directions.

It did not cross their minds that this was – what most people would call – a date.

 

~

 

Suzuha pulled Yukine into an apothecary; it was smaller than the one in Diagon Alley, but thankfully didn’t smell of rotten eggs.

Barrels of slimy stuff edged the room. Jars of herbs and bright powders lined the walls alongside bundles of feathers from all kinds of birds – exotic or otherwise –, strings of fangs and beastly claws which hung from the low ceiling.

Suzuha wandered far back into the shop, letting go of Yukine’s hand and promising he would be back in a minute. His footsteps receded as he vanished behind a rickety shelf of bones and skulls.

Just by looking around Yukine could tell they had everything. The jars on the shelf closest to him read in scribbly writing, from dragon blood to leeches and peppermint to unicorn horn flakes.

Premade potions promised to cure all ails and bring good fortune to its user, to which Yukine gently scoffed – not that he could deny their power when he himself believed in the power of a charm.

The bracelet stayed hidden in Yukine’s pocket after deciding to give it to Suzuha before the final task. It would almost be like part of him would be with Suzuha throughout the trial.

His eyes drifted across the mismatched glass vials, taking time to read the potion labels and examine the contents. Each one was more dangerous than the last, but most dangerous, just above his eye level, were love potions.

Pink bottles stoppered with heart-shaped corks lined the shelf above him, tempting for any lovesick girl – or boy – to use to make their crush desperately infatuated with them.

Without thinking Yukine reached to touch the glittering crystal but his wrist was caught, fingertips grazing the forbidden potion. His vision was full of green as his eyes snapped to Suzuha’s face, millimetres away from him and his grip loosening on Yukine’s wrist.

His face took on a lazy, smug grin which had Yukine blushing at being caught in the act; not that he had _actually_ intended to buy a love potion.

After all, Suzuha took the words right out of his mouth.

“You won’t need one of those.”

 

~

 

A few bookshops and shy small talk later, Yato and Hiyori found themselves back in the main street with no sign of Yukine or Suzuha.

To their surprise, Madame Kofuku and Daikoku were strolling arm in arm. Despite his eviction from the school, Daikoku seemed to be courting, possibly even dating, Madame Kofuku in what precious little time they had together over the Easter holidays.

Both Yato and Hiyori recalled hearing rumours after the ball that they were in fact childhood sweethearts.

Yato noted that Madame Puddifoots seemed to be a favourite of theirs as they vanished into the pink café.

“I hope you don’t want to go in there,” Yato said in light, joking voice. He seemed to forget that the cafés customer, first and foremost, were couples.

Hiyori turned beet red, stuttering a _‘no’_ before she pulled him to a safer establishment: The Three Broomsticks.

The hearth that had kept the pub warm all winter had been extinguished, not that they noticed when they entered. The heat from the sun warmed their faces as they took a seat at a table close to the window, giving them a perfect view of the forest which concealed the Shrieking Shack.

“I’ll get the drinks. Butterbeer?” Yato asked.

Hiyori nodded in response, watching him cross the creaky floor and turn the corner to find the barmaid.

Hiyori looked around. The bar was quiet apart for the few other witches and wizards who kept to themselves, reading the _Daily Prophet_ which flashed headlines about Dark wizards, or sat in a midday drunken stupor.

A black dog the size of a baby Hippogriff slept at the feet of a wizard who must’ve been a hundred years old – and spent most of his life in the same seat from how statuesque he looked next to the bar.

To her surprise, Hiyori spotted Kazuma and Bishamon across the tavern nursing tankards of Butterbeer. It seemed like Bishamon had managed to get Kazuma to take a break from work, even if his _‘Prefect’_ badge still shone on his shirt in case he came across unruly students that needed to be put in line.

Neither of them seemed to notice that she and Yato were together; not that it mattered since Bishamon had become less defensive since the second task. She must’ve deemed Yato worthy enough to breathe in her direction after saving Hiyori instead of Nora, his own person.

Hiyori’s eyes snagged on Yato as he made his way back to the table… with one Butterbeer.

She gave him a puzzled expression as he sat down, to which Yato waved two wiggly straws at her with a flourish; one blue, one pink.

“I didn’t have enough for two…” Yato said sheepishly as pushed the tankard to the centre of the table.  

“That’s ok!” Hiyori said quickly.

She plucked the pink straw from Yato’s hand and took a deep drink, watching the pale liquid do loop-the-loops through the straw before the taste of butterscotch and cream melted on her tongue.

Yato did the same, propping his chin in his hand contentedly and letting his other arm rest against the table. For a moment Hiyori considered brushing her fingertips with his, but not before Yato did.

Hiyori bashfully tucked her chin into her scarf but didn’t move her hand away.

Yato gave her an innocent smile, eyes squinted closed and humming happily. As far as he was concerned, he didn’t have to tell her how he felt.

He could show it.

 

~

  
  
The afternoon turned to evening, and after one more stroll around the village, Yato and Hiyori decided to head back to the castle without Yukine. They were pretty sure he was long gone by now, tucked away in some dusty corner of the library or hiding behind golden tapestries with Suzuha who kept him even more occupied these days.

Curfew was minutes away as Yato walked back from Gryffindor Tower, seeing Hiyori off for the night before heading back to his own dorms.

He had the small grace of not bumping into Nora since the challenge, though Yukine and Hiyori would see her in their shared classes.

Tonight, however, it seemed she was ready to talk.

Yato couldn’t help the sigh that left his lips when he saw her, legs crossed and arms draped over the armchair, waiting for him in the Slytherin common room. With no hearth to light her figure nor evening sunlight she all but melted into the shadows cast from the long drapes that framed the lattice window.

Guilt that Yato thought he’d gotten over chewed his stomach under her unforgiving look.

“Are you ever going to apologise for abandoning me?” Nora asked, straight to the point.

Yato bit back a _‘no’_ instead opting for a truer answer. “I didn’t ask for you to be my victim.”

Why would Nora be his anyway? He barely spoke to her, and it’s not as if everyone in the school knew about their connection.

“Father wasn’t happy.” Nora dragged her nail on the velvet green of the armchair. “Not at all what he planned.”

Yato scowled. How would have Father been able to plan that? Only the teachers and the Ministry of Magic oversaw the challenges.

Then again, if Father was involved, then so was she. And she was.

“Do you know what else he’s planned?” Yato said dryly. “Perhaps he’s the one who came into the school and made my name come out of the Goblet of Fire.”

Even through his sarcasm, a seed of doubt planted itself in Yato’s mind. What if that was exactly what he had done?

“Who’s to say,” she said. “Maybe it’s destiny you were chosen.”

Yato didn’t answer. Destiny had nothing to do with it. Only magic. Some would argue it was the same thing, but destiny cannot be changed.

Nora broke the silence. “You’ll be seeing Father again soon.”

Something snapped within Yato. After everything they went through, even when he tried to keep her safe, he couldn’t understand why she was still on his side.

“Why do you even help him?!”

Nora flinched at his outburst but straightened herself immediately as if it never happened. Her eyes met his with an equally cold contempt, accusing him of everything he had done that led to them being like this.

“I have no choice,” Nora spat. “You saw to that when you left us. Father kept his grip even tighter on me. He…”

Nora jammed her mouth shut, almost involuntarily. She looked back at the empty hearth.

 _‘He’ what?_ Yato wanted to spit back, but he was done with games.

Yato turned on his heel, footsteps dull on the flagstone steps. “I know what he’s trying to do, and it’s not going to work.

“I can tell you something you don’t know.”

Yato kept walking.

“The third trial is a maze.”

Yato stopped. Images of thick roots and Cretan Minotaurs ready to tear him apart flashed through his head, or a never-ending boneyard of failed adventurers who had never found their way out.

He didn’t turn his head to look at Nora. “And what’s in that maze?”

Nora gave a small, condescending laugh. “I think that’s quite obvious, Yaboku.”

Definitely Minotaurs, Yato thought. But then again, the champion would be crowned in this final task. What if the prize was within the maze?

"Find the cup if you can but be careful.”

Yato glowered at Nora over his shoulder. Her final words to him sounded like a plea, but the victorious malice which glinted in her eyes told him it was quite the opposite.

“You might just lose yourself along the way."

**Author's Note:**

> Maxi-The-Fuck-Up Loading: 99%
> 
> Hold onto your lily-white butts.
> 
> Alas there might not be a new chapter next week as I have exams starting next week and my motivation is out the window.


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